Lubricating apparatus



June 19, 1934. A. P. FOX

' LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed May 13, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet l June 19, 1934. Fox 1,963,783

LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed May 15. 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet s I 5 2, 1 1 1 M3 FIG. 6. m 185 I 127 I i ll! za i I45 1 g I 13/ 0 v[/77 g I June 19, 1934. ox

LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed May 13, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 19, 1934 UNITED STATES PATE NT. OFFICE.

LUBRICATING APPARATUS.

Application May 13, 1932, Serial No. 611,122.

3 Claims.

This invention relates to lubricating apparatus, and with regard to certain more specific features, to apparatus of this class for efficiently pumping lubricant from original containers or the like directly to the point of delivery and at high pressure.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of lubricating apparatus of unitary construction adapted to be movably applied to any of a series of original containers for lubricant, to pump said lubricant into a pipe line and/or flexible deliv'ery hose; the provision of apparatus of the class described which automatically starts when the lubricant delivery line is opened and delivers a large flow under high pressure even with heavy and/or viscous materials; the provision of apparatus of this class in which relatively low pressures are automatically boosted to relatively high pressure in unitary apparatus; and the provision ofapparatus of the class described which is relatively simple and compact in arrangement. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated one of various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a view of the various parts of one form of the invention, as organized for use, parts being shown in section for clarity; v

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section of a crosscompound, integral arrangement of priming and booster pumps;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section of the lower end of a priming pump cylinder;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of a booster pump;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line 55 as of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on line 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing an alternative form of the invention,

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing one application of the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a diagram showing another application.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

I have found it desirable to pump lubricants under pressure by attaching to their original containers a pump which shall draw the lubricant and directly deliver it to a line under pressure. I have also found that where a lighter lubricant is used, such as light grease and the like, a relatively high speed,- small bore reciprocating unit may be used to provide high pressure in suitable quantity.

However, in' the case of the modern, heavy lubricants, the small bore, high speed equipment is not suitable. This is because the high speed causes the pump to lose its prime under the sluggish flow of the lubricant. The high speed is necessary with small-bore, high-pressure pumps in order that ample quantities may be obtained.

An alternative to high speed, in obtaining ample quantities is to provide a larger bore of pump. This, however, introduces the difliculty that high outlet pressures are not obtainable with economically sized apparatus. To overcome these difficulties, I provide in one form of the invention a relatively large-bore, slow-acting pump for withdrawing lubricant from the original container and also a cross-compound booster of smaller bore and operating at higher speeds for maintaining a high outlet pressure. These units are all organized advantageously as will be hereinafter described. In another form I prime the booster pump by air pressure directly applied to the interior of a container.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is illustrated at numeral 1 a lubricant container for grease such as for example a heavy, viscous grease. The lid is removed from the top 3 of said container leaving an opening 5.

Over the container 1 and over the opening 5 I provide a temporary cover (after the original cover of the container has been removed), said temporary cover 7 is held by means of fasteners 9. The temporary cover 7 is attached to a bushing 11 which has extending downwardly therethrough a pump cylinder 13. The lower end of the cylinder 13 iscastellated as shown at 15 to provide entry for fluid from the container 1, even though the cylinder assembly is bottomed on the bottom of the container 1. A foot valve 17 is provided at the bottom of the cylinder 1 to permit ingress of fluid from the container into the cylinder 13 but to prevent reverse action.

Within the cylinder 13 is a reciprocating piston rod 19 which carries a hollow and slidable piston 21 thereon. The piston 21 is normally caused by a spring 25 to seat on a flange23 carried at the lower end of the rod 19. The piston reacts in any downward movement against the spring 25. The

spring 25 reacts against a flange 27 carried on the rod 19. It will be seen that any reciprocation of the rod 19 will result in drawing fluid through the castellated portion 15 and through the valve 17 into the cylinder 13, the piston 21 at this time seating on the flange or cap 23.

Upon downward movement (Fig. 3) the indrawn fluid is trapped in the cylinder 13 below the piston 21 and is placed under pressure. The pressure lifts the piston 21 from its seat 23, thereby causing fluid to change position from beneath the piston to the space above the piston. The change of position is effected through the piston itself which, as shown, is hollow. In Fig. 3 the downwardly directed arrow shows the direction of motion of the piston rod and the upwardly directed flow lines show the direction of motion of the fluid in proceeding upwardly to a' point above the piston.

Upon the next subsequent stroke, the fluid which is trapped above the piston is pushed out from the upper end of the cylinder 13 and out of a port 29 which is formed by a body casting 31 supported in said bushing 11.

There is advantage in having the plunger 21 reciprocate at or near the bottom of the container because this insures pressing the material upwardly rather than sucking it upwardly, thus avoiding loss of prime due to friction in the tube functioning against the applied air pressure of atmospheric degree.

At its upper end, the piston rod passes through a stufling gland 33 carried in the body 31. A bypass 35 from the gland 33, through the body 31 back to the container 1 serves to re-deliver any grease which may leak through the packing of the gland 33. This re-delivery is to the grease container; and likewise diverts air leakage from the cylinder to atmosphere in the container and thereby prevents greaseworking up into the air cylinder, or vice versa, keeps air from working down into the cylinder 13.

In order to reciprocate the piston rod 19, its upper end is provided with a piston 3'7 reciprocating in a cylinder 39, the latter being held to the casting 31 by means of studs 41. These studs 41 also hold down on the end of the cylinder 39 a cap 43 which also encloses a valve.

The cap-and-valve casting 43 is in commnuication with the upper end of the cylinder 39 by way of a port 45 and in communication with the lower end of said cylinder by way of a pipe 47 and ports 49 and 51. The details of the valve carried in the casting 43 and the actuating mechanism therefor are as follows (Fig. 2)

The upper end of the piston rod 19 is made hollow as shown at numeral 53. Threaded into the hollow portionis a cap 55 which also holds in place the piston 37. It also. functions as a socket for spring 5'7. v

A reciprocating valve stem 59 passes through the guide in cap 55 and is provided in the hollow portion 53 with a head 61. The hollow portion or socket 53 is of such length that a predetermined amount of lost motion is provided between the stem 59 and the piston rod 19.

Leading from an air inlet manifold 63 is an inlet air pipe 65. The inlet manifold 63 receives with allot the ports mentioned in connection with said body 43. This bushing is for the purpose of reducing wear caused by the action of a reciprocating valve 77 therein. The valve fits slidably on the .valve stem 59 and is endwise engaged by springs 79 and 81, said springs reacting against collars 83 and 85 respectively held to. said stem 59. The collar 83 is covered by a cap 87- having an oiling device 89 therein.

The valve 77'is provided with a peripheral recess 91 for providing communication between the passage 51 and an exhaust passage 93 when the valve is in the upper position shown in Fig. 2. When the valve is in its lower position (to be described) this groove 91 cuts off this communication and causes a communication between said port 51 and the air inlet 73.

The valve 77 is also provided with a second peripheral groove 95 which, when the valve is in its uppermost position, connects the inlet '73 with the port 45 and when the valve is in its lowermost position cuts off this connection and causes a communication between said port 45 and a second exhaust port 97. A breather port 99 prevents compression below the ,valve. as it reciprocates and a packing 101 is provided below the bushing 75. The packing 101 is held in place by the spring 57 reacting against the moving cap 55.

Referring to Figs. 2,4 and 5, it will be seen that valve '77 is also provided with a pairof spaced grooves 103 in one or the other of which rests a pair of oppositely disposed balls 105 normally spring-pressed inwardly by springs 107. Suitable openings 109, in the bushing '75 serve to permit the balls to be pressed into one or the other of said grooves. In Fig. 2, although the balls 105 are not shown (being at ninety degrees) it is to be understood that they are in the lowermost groove.

In view of the above, the operation of the priming cylinder is as follows:

Air enters the pipe 65 and the port '73, from whence it passes through the groove 95 to the port 45 and thence into the upper end of the cylinder 39, thus pressing downwardly the piston 37. This causes the downward stroke of the low- I.

er piston 21 so as to The downward stroke continues until the cap 55 strikes the collar 61 to cause movement of the stem 59. The movement of the stem 59 continues beyond the time that the upper collar 83' strikes the spring '79. After the collar 83 strikes the spring '79, the spring '79 is compressed but does not move the valve 77, because of the detent action of the balls 105 in the lowermost I;

one of the grooves 103. The collar 83 continues its downward movement until it contacts the valve 7'7 moving it slightly to partially or totally clear balls'105 of the lower groove 103, whereupon the valve 77 is given a full-stroke action by 1' the energy released by the upper spring '79, the balls 105 then seating in the uppermost one of the grooves 103. This results in the grooved ports 91 and 95 being reset, so that the port 91, which previously permitted exhaust from below the piston now cuts off the exhaust. Instead, the port 91 permits air under pressure to flow from the inlet 73 to the port 51, down the pipe 47 and to the port 49., thus pushing upwardly the piston 3'7 after the same has reachedthe lower end of its i stroke. The full-stroke action of the valve 77 does not take place until the piston 37 has almost reached the end ofits stroke.

The resetting of the valve also resultsin the inlet port 73 being cut off from the port 45, the

groove 95 in its lower position causing communication between the port 45 and the lower exhaust port 97.

The upward stroke continues as long as air flows in under the piston 37 after lost motion has occurred between the socket 53 and the collar 81, the lower end of the socket strikes said collar 61 to move the same until the lower collar 85 strikes the springs 81. The spring 81 is stressed, but does not overcome the detent reaction of the balls 105 in the upper groove. 103 until the piston nears the end of its stroke, at which time the collar 85 contacts the valve 77 moving it slightly to permit spring 81 to throw the valve 77 to its original position, thus restarting the cycle of action.

The above action throws material under pressure into the outlet line 106 and, if it were desired, the grease could be used at this pressure. However, it is my desire to increase the pressure of the grease beyond that provided for by the above described priming engine P and to do this I provide a booster pump B which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is integrally organized with the primer pump P. The integration is effected by having the manifold 63 attached to an upper casting 108 and the pipe 106 attached to a fluid manifold 111.

The booster pump B, so far as the parts above described and in its cylinder 113 are concerned is analogous to the primer pump P and like numerals designate the like parts therein. However, the piston rod of the pump differs and is given the numeral 115. This rod carries a highpressure, small-diameter plunger 117 reciprocating in a small bore bushing 119. This bushing 119 is screwed into the manifold 111 and is located within a member 121 which performs the same function in supporting the cylinder 113 as does the body member 31 of the primer pump P. It will also be noted that the packing 123 is somewhat different in detail from the packing glands 33.

A section of the lower fluid manifold 111 is shown in Fig. 6. It has an inlet 125 for the pipe 106, said inlet leading to a check valve 127 held by a spring 129 reacting against the cap 131. It will be noted that the bore 133 of the bushing 119 is behind the forward face of the valve 127 (see dotted lines, Fig. 6).

The check valve 135 checks to an outlet 139 which is in communication with an outlet line 141, the latter being preferably flexible to permit uplifting of the assembly of the primer pump P and the booster pump B. A valve 143 is provided which can be used to check the operation of the primer pump P independent of the booster pump B. It can also be used to prevent air pockets (which may originate when the primer pump P is started initially) from passing into the high pressure line 141 by expelling the air to atmosphere. A further purpose is in improving the prime of the booster pump B as air pockets would be entrapped in chambers 143 and 145 and would compress and expand with each stroke of plunger 117 preventing the booster pump B from taking full prime.

A feature of the booster pump is that the pressure cylinder 133 is in communication with the valve chamber 145 but without having anyvalved ports or the like at any point where the plunger 117 reciprocates. Thus there can be no scoring of the plunger due to crossing of any port.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the flexible line 141 leads to a swivel or like arrangement 147. which in turn leads to a non-flexible line 149. From the line 149, a flexible line 151 leads to a hand gun or cut-oil valve 153 having an outlet 155 for connection with fittings or the like for lubricating bearings or the like. Guns such as shown at numeral 153 are known. It is intended that the elements 147 and 149 comprise and exemplify any permanently mounted organization of parts to the end of which is attached the flexible line 151 and gun 153.

Referring to the operation of the complete device, the following remarks will be found useful to an understanding of the apparatus:

The motivating engines of the primer pump P and of the booster pump B receive air from the line 67 according to a brancharrangement, that is, the air branches and parts of the same pressure go to the respective engines.

The primer pump P, after starting, will continue to operate until a pressure has been built up in the cylinder 13 and outlet connections therewith, including the pipe 106 and pipes 141, 149

and 151 (with their respective connections) until a pressure has been reached which counterbalances the total pressure caused by the unit pressure of the air acting on the net available area on the primer piston 3'7 which is exposed to the air supply. The pump P then stops. Thus a relatively low pressure is acting against the small area of the plunger 117 in the booster pump B.

In the meantime, the air which travels to the booster pump B has started it to operating and it continues to operate until the pressure in the lines 141, 149, 151 (and communicating parts) is boosted to such a value that the pressure acting over the small area of the plunger 117 counterbalances the air pressure acting on the relatively larger air piston 37 of the booster pump. This pressure in the outlet line 141, 149 and 151 will be higher than that which could be provided by the priming pump, because the area over which it acts is smaller when compared with the area of the piston 21 of the priming pump. The higher pressure, however, is not communicated back to the line 106, because of the action of the check valve 127.

Thus it will be seen that the primer pump functionsto withdraw the heavy lubricant or the like from the container and deliver it under a priming pressure to the line 106, ready to be operated upon by the pump B. Thus the booster pump B is primed. Whenever the valve 153 is opened, the pressure is relieved and both pumps start into operation to maintain the pressure. The starting of both pumps is automatic and they handle fluid in series compound.

Whenever the booster pump by withdrawing fluid from the pipe 106 reduces the pressure coming to the booster pump to a value where the pressure does not balance the air pressures in the priming pump, said priming pump starts so as to maintain ample lubricant supply at booster pump B.

It is to be understood that although the inftegral arrangement of the two pumps P and B is preferable they may be separated a suitable distance by extending the lines of the manifold 63 to the booster pump B and also extending the line out at 106. If the point of application of the grease is at some distance, this meth- 0d of installation has the advantage that the extended piping is required to withstand only the low pressure of the priming pump P, rather than the high pressure of the booster pump B.

The invention lends to several modes of installation, as above suggested. For instance, if

vides a period of'operation of the boosterpump B before the priming pump P starts. The independent, automatic starting of either engine when its respective pressure goes down to a predeterminedvalue is of great value in this connection. Another feature of the invention lies in the fact that the lower pressure operation of the priming pump P permits of the use of a relatively large area on the plunger 21 and hence a slower speed of operation suffices to .give proper volumetric capacity. The automatically slower speed of the operation insures positive priming of the priming pump P, under the suction pressure. of the atmosphere.

In Fig. 7 is shown a modified form of the invention in which the priming of the booster pump B is eifected not by a priming engine, but by means of internal air pressure applied to the container in which the lubricant is delivered. In this figure the booster pump B is provided with like numerals referring to like parts in Figs. 1 and 2. Diver gence between these two structures is best indicated by noting that the manifold 161 for introducing air having the air inlet fitting 71 which delivers air to the booster engine B of Fig. 7 also delivers air by way of a pipe 163 to the container 165. The air line 163 is permanently connected at 167 with a rigid lid 169 held down to a-flange 171 by means of hand wheels 173, a gasket 175 being used between the members 169 and 171. The ring 171, with a lower bottom 175 is clamped by draw studs 177 to the container 165, packing 179 also being used at the bottom. The device is made portable by the use of castors 181 on the bottom 175.

It will be noted that in this modification the container is'not the commercial container for the fluid but a special one into which the fluid is placed prior to pumping. It will, however, be understood that a commercial container may be used under'suitable conditions of pressure.

The head 169 is joined with the pump B by means of a valve casting 183, said casting carrying a downwardly extending cylinder 185 which extends into the container 165 to the bottom thereof. At the bottom a castellated member 187 carrying a check valve 189 permits fluid to be pushed upwardly through the elevator tube or cylinder 185 but prevents return passage through said tube. Y

In order'to prevent short circuiting of air from the inlet 167 to the check valve 189 a follower piston 191 is used above the material inthe container 165.

At the upper end of the elevator cylinder 185 and formed in the body 183 is an inlet 193. A check valve 195 separates the inlet 193 and the pump chamber 197. A second check valve 199 separates said pump chamber 197 and an outlet 201. The outlet 201 is in connection with an outlet line 203at the end of which is a stop valve 205 for controlling eiilux froma nozzle 207. The valve 205 is adapted to be completely closed to cause pressure to build up in the line 203.

Operation of this form of the invention is eifected by applying a compressed air line to the fitting 71, whereupon the engine B operates to reciprocate the plunger 117, as was described above in connection with the other form. At the same time air is by-passed over the line 163 and into the container 165 above the supply of material 209 esa-res therein. The pressure of the air on-the piston 191 forces asupply' .of material 209 upwardly through the check valve 189 and through the elevator cylinder 185 to the inlet 193 and past the check valve 195 into the pump chamber 197. It con-- tinues to flow past the check valve 199 into the line ,203 to the stop valve 205. If the stop-valve 205 is closed the flow stops. By this means the pump B is primed. Thepriming is at a'greater rate than could be accomplished by permitting the pump to suck in a charge under atmospheric pressure. Thus complete filling of the pump cylinder 198 is more positively insured. In the meantime, the air which passes to the piston 37 causes the pump B to start, the pressure induced on the end of plunger 117 by the air pressure on the piston 191 not being enough to counterbalance the air pressure on the airpiston 37 of the pump B. The pump B thus operates, receiving material under pressure from the elevator cylinder 185 and 9t compressing it to a higher pressure through the check valve 199. The higher pressure is not conveyed to the elevator cylinder 185' because of the presence of the check valve 195 between the chambers 197 and 193.

After the pressure in the line 203 is built up to such a value that as";applied over the face of plunger 117 will counterbalance the air pressureon the piston of air engine B, then said' engine B will stop. The pressure in the line 203, as was 1.35 the case in line 141 (Fig. 1) is a function of the relative areas of the plunger 117 and of the air piston 37 of the engine B.

Upon opening the valve 205, this pressure is released to be delivered out of the nozzle 207 11' where'needed. The reduction in pressure automatically starts the engine B to maintain a flow under pressure. When the said valve 205 is again closed, the original stated conditions are again efiected. The air pressure in the supply tank 165 supplies fluid to-the pump chamber 197 as required by the operation of the engine.

From the above it will be seen that one of the principles of this invention is that the high pressure pump is primed by pressure greater than atmospheric. Another feature is that in the form of Figs. 1 to 6, the low pressure priming pump which provides super-atmospheric prime for the high pressure pump operates more slowly and hence is itself more effectively primed by atmospheric pressure, the slow operation being due to'its larger bore of piston 21 and resulting greater volumetric capacity for a given speed. The high pressure booster pump B in all cases must and can have a small plunger 11.7 for high pressure performance, and this plunger can and is more rapidly reciprocated, because of the high pressure priming available to maintain a full charge on every stroke at the high speeds re quired for high volumetric capacity.

It should be understood that the casting 31 is slidable in the bushing 11 so that the tube 13 can be withdrawn from the drum 1 (Fig. 1). In order that grease be not withdrawn from the container with the cylinder 13, I provide a metal 5146. wiper or washer 2 adapted to the bushing 11, which wipes the grease down as the tube 13 is withdrawn.

In Fig. 8 there is shown a primer pump P attached to a container 1, to which is attached a 31.45 plurality of pipes corresponding to pipes 106 in Fig. 1, these being in branch arrangement. Thus several booster pumps draw upon-the primer pump, said primer pump drawing upon a single supply. This is advantageous where relatively 150 small quantities are delivered from each booster, permitting a single, relatively large capacity primer pump to be used,

In Fig. 9 is shown a similar arrangement where a primer pump P draws from a container 1 and delivers by way of a line 106 to a booster B, the outlet 106' of the booster B delivering to a booster B, and this in turn delivering to other boosters B" by way of lines 106" if desired, by a branch arrangement as shown, or otherwise.

The advantage of the series arrangement of two or more boosters B and B is that a lower pressure can be delivered by the primer pump P, because the booster B forces against the friction in the line beyond the booster B. I

It will be understood that a single flexible outlet line leading to the valve 153 may be used in the form of Fig. 1, and the container 1 used on a truck; or, the fixed type of piping system 149 (Fig. 1) may be used on the form of Fig. 7 and the casters or the like left off of the Fig. 7 form.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

- lubricant, a cover for said container having a bushing, a pump having a member slidable in said bushing for application of a portion of said pump within the container, and a wiper on the bushing and engaging said slidable pump member to remove grease therefrom when the pump is withdrawn.

2. In lubricating apparatus, a container for lubricant, a priming pump, a double-acting piston in said pump and a double-acting plunger driven thereby and located within said container and adapted by reciprocation to force lubricant from the container under continuous pressure and at a relatively low velocity, and a booster pump adapted to receive said lubricant from the priming pump and. compress the same to a higher pressure at a relatively higher velocity.

3. In lubricating apparatus, a container for lubricant, a cover on said container, said cover having an opening therethrough, a priming pump having a cylinder element adapted to pass through said opening, a double-acting piston in said pump and a double-acting plunger driven thereby and located within said cylinder and within the container when the cylinder is applied through said opening, and adapted by reciprocation to force lubricant from the container under continuous pressure and at a relatively low velocity, and a booster pump adapted to receive said lubricant from the priming pump and compress the same to a higher pressure at a relatively higher velocity, said priming pump and booster pump being organized as an integral unit, whereby application of said cylinder may be made through said opening and the apparatus applied as a unit to said cover.

ALEXANDER P. FOX. 

